Dying for our mis-guided 'culture of honor'
I watched Thursday night football on the NFL network. The Colts beat the Jags on their home field in Jacksonville. Other than that, I remember very little about that game. But what I remember most were the pre-game 'festivities'.
The Jaguars honored Richard Collier. Who?...Richard Collier. You remember him...right?
And that's the sad part. He's barely thought of. And that's the part that I remember most.
Richard was the picture of health. He was living the childhood dream of many little boys. Richard Collier was one of the faceless players in the NFL. He was not a grid iron idol but unlike many others he was living the dream.
On Sept. 2, 2008, Jacksonville Jaguar Richard Collier was shot 14 times in an act of not-so random violence. Allegedly, a man that he had a dust-up with earlier in the year addressed his grievances that night. The shooting left Collier in a wheelchair paralyzed from the waist down and missing his amputated left leg, below the knee.
As a Black man, we grow up with a 'culture of honor'. It doesn't mean that we will act honorably in all things. It means that when we feel our honor has been confronted we will act. Death before dishonor and nobody's gonna punk/play/dis me...you know...that 'culture of honor'.
And so it goes. One man feels that he has been disrespected and one or many men must pay...and pay dearly.
As a boy, if you hit me; it was going to be a fight...no questions asked. As a teen, if you talked slick and wouldn't let it go; it was going to be a fight. Now as an educated, mature and successful man, if you confront me too vigorously we will have a problem.
Therefore, I limit my exposure to potential conflict.
Shouldn't I ...shouldn't we know better? I do know better.
But sadly, that doesn't change a thing.
The Jaguars honored Richard Collier. Who?...Richard Collier. You remember him...right?
And that's the sad part. He's barely thought of. And that's the part that I remember most.
Richard was the picture of health. He was living the childhood dream of many little boys. Richard Collier was one of the faceless players in the NFL. He was not a grid iron idol but unlike many others he was living the dream.
On Sept. 2, 2008, Jacksonville Jaguar Richard Collier was shot 14 times in an act of not-so random violence. Allegedly, a man that he had a dust-up with earlier in the year addressed his grievances that night. The shooting left Collier in a wheelchair paralyzed from the waist down and missing his amputated left leg, below the knee.
As a Black man, we grow up with a 'culture of honor'. It doesn't mean that we will act honorably in all things. It means that when we feel our honor has been confronted we will act. Death before dishonor and nobody's gonna punk/play/dis me...you know...that 'culture of honor'.
And so it goes. One man feels that he has been disrespected and one or many men must pay...and pay dearly.
As a boy, if you hit me; it was going to be a fight...no questions asked. As a teen, if you talked slick and wouldn't let it go; it was going to be a fight. Now as an educated, mature and successful man, if you confront me too vigorously we will have a problem.
Therefore, I limit my exposure to potential conflict.
Shouldn't I ...shouldn't we know better? I do know better.
But sadly, that doesn't change a thing.
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